Editing Union County, New Jersey (section)

===Notable events in county government===
In 2023, Union County agreed to honor the site in North Jersey of what local activists described as [[New York Conspiracy of 1741#Alleged burnings in New Jersey|the public execution by burning at the stake of three enslaved New Jerseyans in 1741]].<ref>Crowley-Hughes, Andrea. [https://www.tapinto.net/towns/westfield/sections/union-county-news/articles/activist-asks-union-county-to-memorialize-black-people-burned-at-stake-in-1741 "Activist Asks Union County to Memorialize Black People Burned at Stake in 1741"], [[TAPinto]] Westfield, March 29, 2023. Accessed June 24, 2023. "'In 1741, as the antislavery movement gained momentum and slave rebellion increased, white hysteria over rumors of a slave uprising led to the 'burning at the stake' of three blacks at the site of the present Union County Courthouse,' Washington writes."</ref> In 2023, the county worked to revise its logo, which has had what has been described as the only county seal in the nation that depicts a woman being killed. The logo depicted [[James Caldwell (clergyman)|Hannah Caldwell]] being shot by a British [[light infantry]]man during the [[Battle of Connecticut Farms]].<ref>Hutchins, Ryan. [https://www.nj.com/news/2011/07/union_county_seals_portrayal_o.html "Union County officials battle activist over use of controversial county seal"], ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', July 10, 2011. Accessed March 29, 2023. "The seal depicts the shooting death of Elizabethtown’s Hannah Caldwell during the Revolutionary War, said to be an assassination carried out by a British soldier. Her death was a flashpoint that turned many wavering Jerseyans against their occupiers and ignited fury across the colonies.... One thing that is clear, according to Shallcross, is that it’s one of a kind. 'Out of thousands and thousands of county seals, it’s the only one that portrays a murder,' he said."</ref><ref>[[:File:Seal of Union County, New Jersey.png|Seal of Union County, NJ]]</ref> In 2023, Union County moved to revise its county seal, asking residents to participate in an online poll to choose between two alternatives, both of which eliminate the depiction of Caldwell's death.<ref>Kudisch, Brianna. [https://www.nj.com/news/2023/03/county-seal-depicting-womans-murder-is-out-as-nj-officials-unveil-2-options-for-redesign.html "County seal depicting woman’s murder is out as N.J. officials unveil 2 options for redesign"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], March 28, 2023. Accessed March 29, 2023. "Union County officials are changing the county’s seal — which currently depicts a murder of a woman during the Revolutionary War — and asking the public for input on the redesign. Two options for the new seal were unveiled on the county website on Monday. Residents are encouraged to vote in an online poll before April 24 to help select the new seal."</ref> In 2022, controversy erupted over the county's deletion of negative social media comments made about the opening of Tëmike Park, an LGBTQ-inclusive playground, in [[Cedar Brook Park]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/westfield/sections/union-county-news/articles/union-county-responds-to-hateful-comments-on-pride-event-facebook-post|title=Union County Responds to Hateful Comments on Pride Event Facebook Post|website=TAPinto}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/cranford/hate-comments-union-co-pride-post-prompt-county-response|title=Hate Comments On Union Co. Pride Post Prompt County Response|date=June 27, 2022|website=Cranford, NJ Patch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goleader.com/4978/|title=Inclusive Park Sparks Debate Over Acceptance, Free Speech|date=June 29, 2022}}</ref> In 2022, a state court found the county illegally circumvented the public bidding process in awarding contracts for the construction of a proposed Union County government building in Elizabeth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2021/12/an-inside-game.html|title=Was politics in play when public bidding laws were cast aside for a $123.8M project?|first=Ted Sherman &#124; NJ Advance Media for|last=NJ.com|date=December 12, 2021|website=nj}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/westfield/sections/union-county-news/articles/after-latest-setback-in-court-union-county-may-seek-alternative-to-build-its-complex|title=After Latest Setback in Court, Union County May Seek 'Alternative' to Build its Complex|website=TAPinto}}</ref>

In 2015, the county was forced to pay legal fees after losing a trademark claim it brought against a frequent county government critic who used the County of Union seal on her blog.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reason.com/volokh/2015/01/09/the-government-as-trademark-tr/|title=The government as trademark troll: Union County (N.J.) hit with $40K bill in First Amendment case|date=January 9, 2015 }}</ref> In 2011, an investigation found mismanagement of county funds in association with MusicFest, a free annual concert.<ref>{{cite web |title=Union County MusicFest organizers lost track of concert money |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2011/08/union_county_musicfest_organiz.html |website=[[NJ.com]] |date=August 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329151714/https://www.nj.com/news/2011/08/union_county_musicfest_organiz.html |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |url-status=live |last1=Hutchins |first1=Ryan}}</ref> In 2009, following a First Amendment challenge by the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], the county commissioners agreed to issue a public apology for cutting off speech by a resident who was addressing the board about possible nepotism on the county payroll.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2009/08/union_county_freeholders_will.html|title=Union County freeholders will publicly apologize to man who questioned county hiring practices|first=Michael Rispoli/The|last=Star-Ledger|date=August 20, 2009|website=nj}}</ref>